In prokaryotes, the ribosomal gene locus contains three rRNA species: 16S, 23S and 5S. The potential of sequencing 16S rDNA of bacteria and archaea for establishing phylogenetic relationships and for use in molecular diagnostics is well-documented. Currently, over 3000 16S rRNA sequences are available in the databases. However, the potential of the 23S rRNA gene as a diagnostic tool has not bee...